Innovative Miniature Heart Pump Offers New Hope for Pediatric Transplant Patients

A breakthrough implantable device, small enough to allow children awaiting heart transplants to potentially live at home, has shown promising results in initial trials.

• The Jarvik 2015 ventricular assist device, designed for children as light as 18 pounds, successfully supported most patients in a feasibility study.
• Unlike the bulky Berlin Heart, the new device is implantable and significantly smaller, reducing hospital stay durations and improving quality of life.
• Six out of seven children in the trial received heart transplants, and one recovered without needing one, demonstrating the device's effectiveness.
• Complications were manageable, with most children experiencing minimal disruption to daily activities.
• A larger pivotal trial is set to begin, aiming to confirm these findings and potentially revolutionize care for pediatric heart failure patients.

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